* Thai Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwon on Thursday ordered the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) to immediately provide assistance to the victims in the shooting and bombing attacks in Yala's Yaha district in southern Thailand on Wednesday.
* Colonel Consolito Yecla, Task Force Davao commander, has said that the military authorities planned to impose a "no jacket policy" on people entering Davao City in southern Philippines, to prevent possible suicide bombers from penetrating crowded events or during major festivities.
* The Republic of Korea (ROK)'s ruling Democratic Party on Friday (July 5) asked the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to participate in the ROK-hosted world swimming competition set to open next week (from July 12-28).
* The Turkey-Russia-Iran trilateral summit on Syria will be held in August in the capital Ankara, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Thursday. The situation in Syria, including the transitional political process and the return of refugees, will be discussed comprehensively in the summit, Kalin told reporters, without giving the exact date.
* The European Union (EU) will contribute EUR7 million (US$7.9 million) to Mexico's development plan to curb migration, the Mexican Foreign Ministry said Thursday.
* Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday ratified his government's commitment to continued dialogue with the political opposition in talks hosted by Norway.
* Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Ishtaye said on Thursday that the Palestinian Authority (PA) will charge anyone involved in the Israeli settlement issue, whether they are diplomats, companies or settlers.
* A 6.4-magnitude earthquake jolted 12 km southwest of Searles Valley in the US state of California 17:33:48 GMT on Thursday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. The epicenter, with a depth of 8.68 km, was initially determined to be at 35.70 degrees north latitude and 117.51 degrees west longitude. Officials said it marked the biggest earthquake in the region since 1999.
* The Saudi Fund for Development on Thursday provided a grant of US$50 million to support the education sector in Jordan, the official Petra news agency reported.
* Egyptian and French air and naval forces concluded their joint military training within Egypt's territorial waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the Egyptian army said in a statement on Thursday.
* Pakistan said on Thursday that Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington on July 22.
* Militants loyal to the Taliban group have released 42 army personnel who were arrested during the fall of Qush Tepa district in Afghanistan's northern Jawzjan province days ago, an army spokesman in the northern region said on Thursday.
* Rains lashed Indian capital city New Delhi and outskirts Thursday, triggering waterlogging and traffic jams, officials said. The downpour ended days of sweltering heat and brought respite to residents.
